EPAT Shockwave Therapy For Heel Pain Specialist
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Foot & Ankle Affiliates
Eric J Abrams, DPM
Podiatry & Foot & Ankle Surgery located in Eatontown, NJ & Toms River, NJ
Extracorporeal pulse activation technology (EPAT®) is an advanced, noninvasive treatment that effectively relieves pain by accelerating healing in the soft tissues responsible for the problem. At Foot & Ankle Affiliates, Eric Abrams, DPM, offers EPAT shockwave therapy for patients with heel pain, helping them achieve optimal pain relief in just a few short EPAT sessions. If you suffer from heel pain and you’d like to learn if you’re a good candidate for EPAT, call one of the offices in Eatontown and Toms River, New Jersey, or schedule an appointment online.
EPAT Shockwave Therapy For Heel Pain
How does EPAT shockwave therapy work?
EPAT is a noninvasive treatment that uses low-level acoustic energy to stimulate blood flow, accelerating your body’s natural healing response in soft tissues, and relieving your pain. During an EPAT session, your Foot & Ankle Affiliates provider places a handheld device against your skin, then activates the device to send soundwave pulses through your skin and into the soft tissue below the surface.
What conditions might be treated with EPAT?
Dr. Abrams frequently uses EPAT to treat heel pain. Plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis are two of the top causes of heel pain. If you have plantar fasciitis, the ligament that connects your heel to the front of your foot is inflamed. The Achilles tendon is inflamed if you have tendonitis.
Though Morton’s neuroma doesn’t cause heel pain, it can lead to pain in the ball of your foot. EPAT may also help relieve the pain of this condition, which develops when tissues thicken around nerves in the ball of your foot.
What should I expect during EPAT treatment?
After applying a gel to the targeted treatment area, Dr. Abrams turns on the applicator, places it against your skin, and moves it in a circular motion as the acoustic waves travel into the soft tissues.
One treatment session lasts about 5-10 minutes, depending on the cause of your pain. While some patients feel less pain after one session, it usually takes between three and five treatments, spaced one week apart, to achieve optimal results.
After your EPAT session, you can immediately walk around, and you can expect to return to normal activities in 24-48 hours. However, Dr. Abrams recommends waiting about four weeks to resume more strenuous activities.
Treatment with EPAT causes few, if any, side effects. In rare cases, you may experience mild discomfort for a few days as the tissues start to heal.
What results should I expect following EPAT for heel pain?
EPAT has a success rate for heel pain that’s equal to or better than traditional treatment, including surgery. In other words, you get the same results without side effects, risks, complications, or a lengthy recovery. More than 80% of patients treated with EPAT were either pain free or experienced a significant improvement in their pain.
If you have heel pain and you’d like to learn more about EPAT, call Foot & Ankle Affiliates or request an appointment online.
